What's Coming to You
by CaptainMercy42
Summary: Hook is just an annoyance, and Emma is simply a pleasant distraction - at least that's the story they're trying to sell. But some of the other citizens of Storybrooke aren't buying it. The predestined pair manages to have a bit of fun before a foiled attack turns into a magical polygraph. ((COMPLETE!))
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I love me some Captain Swan ANGST. I also love long pauses and then FEELINGS. This is my first fanfic ever of all time. So that's something. Be kind!

Hook was in jail again. This is where he stayed whenever Mr. Gold attended a town function. Emma would always stay at the office with him, sitting at her desk and pretending to finish important paperwork. He knew she was pretending. He watched closely as she stared holes through the documents with a faraway look in her eyes, and none of the usual back and forth action that facilitates reading. After a while she'd snap back to reality and shuffle the papers around. Sometimes she'd sign one to make it seem very official. Sometimes she'd drop the pretense and just read a book.

When Hook first arrived in Storybrooke, he had vowed to the Charming family that he would keep his revenge focused and clean and restricted to Rumplestiltskin, the man they now called Gold. But after what he did to Belle, Snow and Charming had refused to take him at his word. So much the better. Whenever Gold was going to make a noteworthy public appearance, they'd send their beautiful, able-bodied daughter out to find him. He still had an invisible ship, so he kept an eye on the Storybrooke social calendar, making it a point to be rabble-rousing around town whenever he thought she might be out looking for him.

In a matter of weeks Hook had learned the majority of Emma's moves and could read most of her moods at a glance. He amused himself by obsessively finding new, more clever ways to push her buttons. Occasionally if he heard she was on the hunt, he'd go out and get very drunk. Then he'd sing sea shanties to her, merrily, as she shuttled him to jail in the back of her very official police cruiser. He hadn't done that lately, though, due to a nagging feeling that he was somehow revealing too much of himself as he babbled incoherently to sleep on the narrow jailhouse cot.

Emma had most recently picked Hook up at the laundromat, where she found him sitting atop a washing machine, serenely. He hopped off to politely offer her his seat, pointing out that it was nearing the final rinse, which everyone agreed was the best part. Emma barely lifted her frown into a straight line, gesturing for him to follow her with only a nod of the head. He followed dutifully.

Once safely enclosed in his cell, Hook noted how weary Emma seemed. He caught himself just before making a titillating remark, and decided it would be best to drop his usual act and try something new.

"What's the matter, love? You look tired." Hook leaned his forearms on the horizontal bar that encircled his cage, with a look of honest concern.

"I am tired." Emma sighed, not looking up from the book she had open on her desk.

"I could see that. That's why I didn't run today. Wanted to give you a bit of a break."

Emma grimaced, wrinkling her nose at him, then looked back down at the book on her desk. He tried to engage her, again.

"Tell me what's making you so tired. New boyfriend?" His voice was low, but still hinted with the usual sarcasm.

An indignant little burst of air shot out of Emma's nose before she could compose herself. Too late, her cards were shown.

"Yes that's it, exactly," she sighed sarcastically. "I'm tired because I've been off having amazing sex every night with my new boyfriend." She smiled wistfully. If only.

"Aw. I know how you feel, love. I have also had a bit of a dry spell as of late." He tapped his hook lazily against one of the bars of his cell, to the haphazard rhythm of sexual frustration.

This made Emma snort. Hook had been the talk of the town ever since he had arrived. It seemed that every woman between 18 and 80 made a point of mentioning to Emma how ruggedly beautiful the pirate was. They seized the slightest lull in conversation as an opportunity to bring him up- his sea-grey eyes, his leather pants, his handsome chin, always accompanied by a mysterious scruff that never seemed to grow, or be shaved clean. She didn't want to imagine how wanton and sex-crazed a pirate must be to refer to the warm welcome shown by the women of Storybrooke as a "dry spell."

"You don't believe me." Hook was stating a fact after hearing her unceremonious grunt.

"I can't imagine you've had any problems finding a woman."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment. You are correct. I have had no problems finding a woman. She went so far as to find me, in fact. But bedding her - well that's been problematic."

Emma felt Hook's eyes boring into her, and her cheeks became hot. He hadn't gotten her to blush like this in a long time. As Hook's arrests progressed, she had learned to masterfully ignore his constant stream of innuendo, and was a bit calloused towards it now. But he'd tricked her tonight with a new form of subtlety, leaving the weight of illicit suggestion in his unflinching gaze. She lifted her head and braved eye contact. His face was eerily somber, as if he were looking through her.

"So what's the big deal? There are other fish in the sea."

"I suppose there are. But I can't have all those other fish swimming about, running their mouths about my remarkable night-time prowess in front of my swan, can I? I'm fairly certain it would decimate my chances. And they would have plenty to talk about, believe me."

_My swan. _Emma's stomach flipped, and her cheeks grew hotter. She was running on fumes, which was known to affect her judgement, especially when it came to men. She looked at her watch. It was 10:30 PM. The party at Granny's was likely over, and Gold was likely back in his home or shop or wherever he went to conjure the time away now that Belle had forgotten him. She frowned a little at the thought of Belle, fragile and confused after the incident. Her psychological recovery had been slow, and she was only now beginning to work with Archie on integrating back into the mad, half-magic culture of Storybrooke. Emma closed her book with a snap and picked up her bag and scarf. Hook watched curiously. She didn't usually leave him so abruptly. Most nights he would drift to sleep under her watchful eye. It was something he'd begun to look forward to.

"Going to interview the fishies, love? They'll have nothing to say. What have I told you about trust? It would save us some valuable time if you'd listen."

Emma walked up to the door of his cell, wearing her coat and ready to leave. She didn't stop advancing until she was close to the bars, nearly brushing against them with her chest. A split-second later Hook was hit with her intoxicating aroma- a mixture of shampoo, leather jacket and apple pie.

"What exactly am I supposed to be trusting?" She was alert now, shaken out of the fog that lack-of-sleep had brought on, earlier. Her directness was unsettling to Hook. He was not prepared to spell out his admittedly thin metaphor, and he could hardly remember to breath as her scent made his mouth begin to water. But her eyes were sharp and expecting and they quickly pulled words out of his gut that he didn't recognize as his own.

"You need to trust that you're the only one I want, and the only thing I'm after."

Emma gritted her teeth, flexing her jaw. She breathed in sharply, inhaling his words and letting them melt her insides. If he could torment her with his grin, leave goose bumps in the wake of every accidental brush against her skin - if he could muddle her thoughts by just whispering her name, then she could at least have these words. She blinked, storing the moment away in the back of her mind. She was calm again, but she couldn't just leave him there to smugly think he'd made her flustered.

"Well it's too bad I can't push you across the town line and erase all of _your_ memories. Then everyone's problems would be solved."

With that she turned on her heel and walked to the door. She didn't realize Hook was still reeling from the confession that her physical nearness had seemingly sucked out of him. He finished processing her snide retort just as she reached the door.

"Except yours, love." She heard him call after her quietly, just before the door clicked shut behind her. She was safe, for now, her cheeks enjoying the soothing chill of the cool night air.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This story started with an idea for one big, feelsy exchange in the jail. I haven't even gotten to that yet. Now the other characters are horning in. I think I've got things under control... haha. MY GOD reviews are AWESOME. Please point out any confusion I may cause with POV or loooong sentences.

Hook awoke when the sunlight pierced through the cell's one small window and hit him squarely in the eye. He hadn't slept very well, but then he hadn't expected to. After all, he was on land. He blinked repeatedly, and looked around to see who seemed to be gnawing, loudly. It was David - _Prince Charming. _He watched the man that sired Emma gracelessly eat pistachios at the deputy's desk. He couldn't see the resemblance.

"Oi, I guess I'll just be moving along, then?" Hook sat up and shook the morning out of his eyes. Words were never wasted between David and himself.

"Sorry, Hook. Emma says you have to stay."

Hook looked up from rubbing his forehead.

"What's that?"

"She told me you had to stay." David continued to read the paper, flicking pistachio shells across the desk.

"Did she happen to mention why?

"No."

Hook scanned his memory for a clue. He had not been drinking last night. His incarceration had been purely preventative. Had Gold spontaneously decided to parade up and down Main Street, or was Emma holding him there for some other reason?

"So what were Emma's words, exactly?"

Charming looked up warningly. He personally had no patience for Hook.

"If you'd like you can borrow my phone and ask her yourself." David held up his cell phone, teeth clenched. Hook wasn't interested, and flopped himself back down on his cot. David was relieved, not in the mood to tutor the pirate on the use of his smart phone, or to hear the bilge known as Hook blatantly come-on to Emma in his presence.

Emma's first defense of the pirate, her insistence on keeping him safe had been mystifying to David. He tolerated it at Snow's request, trusting her reasoning that Emma must see something in Hook that others didn't. Maybe Emma was seeing a bit of good, or maybe she just recognized a familiar darkness. Whatever the case, Snow firmly believed that they had to support their daughter. Emma was an adult and at the same time she was their abandoned child. The least they could do was tolerate her inexplicable soft spot for Captain Hook.

The two very different men sat in silence for most of the morning. David took a few phone calls before lunch, then ordered food for the pirate and himself.

At 3:15 a friendly face popped in to the sheriff's office. Emma's son, Henry trotted up to his grandfather happily, then let out a small yelp when he saw Hook in the cell.

"Hey, Killian. There you are! You weren't at the usual spot today."

For the first time in his long history of incarceration, Hook looked fleetingly guilty. David glowered at him, openly.

"I didn't know you two had met." David employed all of his restraint to keep his expression friendly and upbeat in front of Henry.

"He sits up by the school and watches boats at lunchtime." Henry shared this insider information with gusto. "When I saw his hook I HAD to talk to him. He's Captain Hook, you know! Now he tells me pirate stories, but I have to bring him candy and stuff or he won't do it."

Henry was gushing. Hook felt a bit like a man listening to a reading of his own diary, but he kept his exterior flawlessly cocky.

"You have to be firm with kids. They can't get something for nothing. Remind me, what was I going to tell you about next?"

"Mermaids!"

"And for me?"

"Rolos. If mom and Snow didn't eat them all."

"Alright, then." David walked over and put his arm around Henry with a forced chuckle. "Speaking of sweets, how about you and me go get some ice cream sundaes at Granny's?"

Henry jumped at the offer, and before Hook knew it they were both out the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He doubted anything good would come from Emma learning that he had befriended Henry. In his defense, Henry had befriended him. But he couldn't deny that he had spotted the family resemblance immediately. After a short chat Hook could see that Henry had all of the keen perception of his mother, accompanied by naive wisdom instead of mysterious emotional baggage. Personally, his money was on Henry for most dangerous human lie detector in Storybrooke.

Around 4:30 Hook was stirred by Emma's soft footsteps. She walked wordlessly up to the cell door. Her expression was iridescent, flashing anger, hurt and confusion in one look.

"You've been talking to Henry? You've been meeting him at his school and taking part of his lunches?" The questions were facts. It was her feelings on the issue that were in question. Hook stood to face her, leaving only 8 inches and some bars between them.

"Henry has been talking to me. And I only take his candy, which seems to be in no short supply. I'm doing everyone a favor."

"A favor?" Emma's eyes were wide with questioning. "Well now he thinks very highly of you."

"Perhaps it's hereditary." The corner of Hook's mouth twitched with a grin. Emma jutted her chin forward, defiantly, but did offer a retort.

The air between them was fully charged, wanting for a single spark. It was Emma's turn, but she had lost her momentum trying to decide between a clever dig or a vehement reprimand for his involvement with Henry. But Hook hadn't done anything wrong, as far as Henry was concerned. The boy had eagerly regaled David with the pirate's tales, all of which were stunningly PG rated.

Emma grimaced, and turned to leave.

"Where are you going, Swan? And why I am I still here?"

"I don't know, Hook. Why are you still here?" There was a light pleading in Emma's voice that granted the question a deep, philosophical subtext.

"Because I'm bloody locked in!"

Emma stopped, letting her shoulders slump momentarily. She straightened, turned, and sauntered back towards him. Within a foot of his face once again, she gingerly lifted his hook off the horizontal bar that encircled his cell, pulling it over to the aged lock, then turning it sideways. Hook's arm followed willingly. Then, without breaking eye contact, Emma inserted the sharpened tip of his appendage into the keyhole, springing the door open with a few quick motions. With that, she released his hook and made her way back towards the exit.

Hook looked at the open door with a bit of dismay. It had been as easy as he had imagined to spring the lock. He felt a twinge of regret for a fortnight of fitful land-bound slumbers, but he had enjoyed the company.

Emma had turned away once more with a hint of flare, and woven her way towards door. Hook watched her hips sway, and smiled. Emma rested her hand on the door, pausing, and caught both his eye line and expression. She rolled her eyes. It did not make the task of explaining why she'd kept Hook locked up all day any easier.

"Belle came out of the hospital today. She's moved into an apartment in town. I want you to leave her alone." Emma reported the news to Hook with one foot out the door, but then she hesitated.

"And, Hook - there's a chance she'll get her memories back. I need to know what you're going to do if that happens. I can't let you hurt her again. I don't want you to do anything rash if it looks like Gold's going to get his happy ending."

Emma watched Hook process this new information as he slowly wound his scarf around his muscular neck. She hoped that he understood the gravity of his freedom that night. She should have kept him locked up - every fiber of her being wanted him back in his cage, where she could keep him safe. She couldn't explain the root of this need, she only knew that when Hook roamed free it gave her the same stitch in her chest that she got when Henry went to spend a night with Regina. It was infuriating, and it was wearing her down. Henry was her son, and the new emotions that had surged into her life when he found her could be considered progress. Who was Hook? And why did it feel as if one of her major internal organs was unaccounted for any time she couldn't pinpoint his whereabouts?

"Perhaps you weren't listening closely enough to Henry's stories, darling. My name is _Killian._"

Emma blinked, then completed her exit. Hook was alone in the darkened office, left to his own devices. He needed to move. He needed to think. He needed some fresh, sea air. He walked over to Emma's desk and rummaged around until he found what he knew to be the front door's spare key. He pocketed the spare, then made his way outside, smiling as he heard the lock click shut behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Just realized the summary of this story was not at all accurate, anymore. Changed that. Emma is missing from this chapter - but there's still feels, I swear!

After learning of Belle's return to life in Storybrooke, Killian had lain a bit lower. He would steal about town around twilight, going for pensive walks which often ended in a hot shower at the Sheriff's station. The key he'd borrowed from Emma had been invaluable, especially when he needed a quiet place to sit and think. Lately he'd only been capable of brooding on his ship, his mind sinking deep into the familiar vat of his bitter history. Every step he took across the deck left him haunted by the wailing ghost of Milah's last breaths, which had only ever been quieted by the promise of vengeance.

The possibility that his perfect vengeance against Gold could be soon be erased was wreaking havoc on his morals. Killian had just begun to move forward. He had smiled. He had let a bit of his soul slip out when he told Emma she had to trust him. But magic had rendered his unique code of conduct useless. Betwixt Milah's vengeance and Emma's trust he would inevitably be made a liar.

Killian found himself walking down Main Street in the dark of early evening. He shuffled his feet a little, and wondered if brazenly traversing the town's thoroughfare would get him any attention from Emma. Lately he had felt her absence like a splinter.

As he rounded a corner absent-mindedly, he ran into an unfamiliar site. It was Belle, sitting on a bench in front of the library. She was dressed like a librarian in a button-up blouse and skirt. She seemed to be staring aimlessly out into the night. Killian's stomach churned for a moment, but then a morbid curiosity overcame him. He approached the bench with a gentle air, and sat down on the end opposite Belle.

"Hullo." Killian's voice made her jump.

Belle turned towards him, and as her eyes focused they filled with concern. She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated. Killian attempted to appear friendly and reassuring.

"Do you know who I am?" He tried to keep his tone soft and non-threatening. Belle looked at her hands.

"Well you appear to be Captain Hook, in the flesh. If that's correct, then yes, I know who you are - or rather, I've been told what you did."

"Would you prefer that I leave, then?" Hook leaned forward as if to stand. Belle waved him back.

"It doesn't matter. It's just a story to me. Like everything else. All stories." Killian remainded seated.

"I was under the impression you enjoyed books and stories quite a bit." He feigned joviality, and tried hard to ignore the guilt that was creeping up his spine as he watched Belle roll her eyes, listlessly.

"I have spent my life, as long as I can remember, trying to learn how to tell the difference between fantasy and reality. I have been shocked. I have been medicated. Then suddenly I'm in the hospital, and everyone's trying to convince me that all of the most fantastic things I've read are true. They tell I'm Belle - _I'm Beauty_. And now I'm talking to Captain Hook. I'm not even sure you're really here." Her eyes shifted wearily back to the darkness.

"Oh believe me, I've wondered that myself." Killian looked at the sky to see a couple of stars winking lazily back. This was a strange land he'd found himself in. "But I have another story for you, or a question, rather. Would you like to hear it?"

Belle sighed and nodded.

"Why not?"

So Killian leaned a bit closer to her and lowered his tambre.

"I'm going to tell you about a man, and I want you to tell me what you think of him. He probably began life as normal as anyone. He had a wife. They had a son. But as time progressed, this man's true colors began to show. He was weak and cowardly, constantly fearing that everything he had would be taken from him. He treated his wife and son like treasures locked in a safe. He berated his wife for loving excitement, and his son for wanting to fight for just causes."

Killian's eyes had become glassy, and he didn't realize he was punctuating his story by slowly rubbing his thumb across the tips of his fingers.

"Eventually this cowardly man's wife ran off, away from his tyranny and constant worry. It was then that she was finally able to be free and have the adventures that she'd always dreamt of. She was truly happy. In the meantime, the cowardly man filled the void she left with evil, and dark magic. He became a wretched wizard, hiding behind potions and spells, with no qualms about killing those who may have posed the slightest threat to himself or his son."

Belle had become enraptured by the tale, because when it came to stories she could never help herself, and because Killian was a handsome and gifted orator.

"Finally the cowardly wizard stumbled, by chance, upon the pirate who had taken up with his wife. The wizard asked where he could find her, but the pirate lied and told him she was dead. The wizard seemed to be mournful, but after his wife made herself known he tore out her heart and let it crumble to dust in his hand. If he could not have her then nobody would. She died in the arms of the pirate as the cowardly wizard, the father of her child simply walked away."

Killian stared into the black for a moment, then shook his head and breathed in deeply, his eyes returning to the current time and place.

"So tell me, Belle, what do you think of this wizard? What kind of man is he?"

Belle pursed her lips, thoughtfully, while she formulated her official opinion.

"I think that this is the story of a man who was tormented by fear until he finally gave in, and let it turn him into a terrible monster." She stared at her hands, folded in her lap. Killian could tell she was cautiously anxious to learn what this story had to do with her.

"And do you think a terrible monster like this is able to change?"

Belle raised her eyes to Killian, earnestly.

"Everyone is able to change. Hope and love, they change people all the time - even the darkest souls. I don't think that I believe that anyone is ever truly lost to evil."

Belle leaned forward, gripping the back of the bench tightly, moved by her conviction. Killian gritted his teeth. Even without her memories, her addled brain was basically the same.

"So by your logic," he began to reason, "you could find a way to love him? You could allow a man like this _creature_ to be your knight in shining armor?"

Belle's head tossed back momentarily in a chuckle.

"You are such a _man._" She laughed at him defiantly, dotting moisture away from her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"In the scenario that I imagine, _I'm_ the knight in shining armor. The man that you described does not have the strength to turn life around on his own. He would need a savior. I would be the savior, and I would get to play the part of the hero." Belle's eyes were shining now, her love of stories and her longing for adventure churning to a froth in her stomach.

Killian was deflated. He could not bring himself to hate her, though he was sure it wouldn't be long before her bleeding heart would lead her back to Gold for another attempted rescue. He was lost in these thoughts when he realized that Belle had sidled even closer to him.

"Is the man that you so desperately want me to hate living here, in Storybrooke?"

Killian nodded.

"Well it sounds as if erasing my memories was not enough revenge for you." Belle leaned forward to speak in a hushed tone, inches from Killian's face. "I have no recollection of the beast you described. But I can see that you're a man with a dark soul. How sweet a revenge would it be on this mystery wizard if you let me try and save you?"

Belle's eyes were trained on Killian's mouth, her own lips parted slightly. His mind reeled jubilantly at all the delightful and destructive possibilities of her offer, but his body did not follow suit. Instead he leaned back, stiffly, and suddenly clapped Belle on the knee with a brotherly fervor.

"Sorry, lass. But I've already got a savior. Though I have to admit, you have truly ingratiated yourself with the offer." Killian sprung to his feet with a renewed sense of purpose. Belle smiled up at him, a bit mischievously. She had tricked him into revealing that there was indeed a light at the end of his tunnel. He had said it out loud - _he already had a savior._

Killian looked around for a moment, gathering his thoughts and locating the direction of the Sheriff's station. Then he paused, considering a trip to the tavern instead. He caught a glimpse of Belle out of the corner of his eye, and she seemed to be staring off into the darkness once again. He coughed to snag her attention. She looked back up at him, serenely.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, and the loss of your memories. If it's any consolation, it seems that your true identity is still very much in tact. But I know now that it was wrong." Killian's apology began to get away from him. Belle just continued to smile.

"It's still all just stories to me, _Captain_. I'm sure it would mean something to the former version of myself. But as it stands, after you're out of site, I'll be left wondering if you were ever really here at all."

Killian bowed his head and took off in the direction of the tavern. He grimaced at the thought of leaving Belle behind to ponder her sanity. He took solace in the fact that he'd soon be able to douse his shame in cheap rum. He needed to see Emma, so he vowed not to let the bottle leave his hand until he was good and arrested.


	4. Chapter 4

Snow and Emma were sitting at Granny's counter having a girls' night out. They were sipping hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and cinnamon and chatting with Ruby when she had moments to spare. It was Snow's idea, for lately Emma seemed to be weighed down by an invisible burden that she refused to open up about. David and Henry had eaten dinner with them, then set off for home to put Henry to bed. The family time seemed to be loosening Emma up a bit, but she was still guarded. Snow swiveled her stool around to face Emma, weaving her fingers around her mug of cocoa.

"So, girls' night out," Snow started, awkwardly. "It's a little like old times, when I was Mary-Margaret and we were just good friends."

Emma's somber expression softened.

"We're family now. I think we're a lot closer." She sipped her drink, thoughtfully.

"I was hoping you would say that. Emma, lately I've noticed you seem... sad? I haven't been able to figure out how to bring it up." Snow blinked earnestly at Emma, trying not to let herself be overcome with emotion. "I just want you to know you can tell me if something's wrong."

Emma opened her mouth to reply, when she was interrupted by the ring of the bell over the entrance. She and nearly everyone else in the diner turned around to see who had come in. It was Belle, looking cloudy and self-conscious. It was difficult to see her with this new, fragile demeanor. Snow gave Belle one her most welcoming smiles, which Belle took as an invitation. She sat down gingerly on a stool next to Snow, and was cordially greeted by all three ladies. They had all tried their best to offer her unconditional understanding and friendship, ever since her ordeal.

"Hello, Belle," Snow started, enthusiastically. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine. Good." Belle was staring at the counter as if she were trying to memorize a phone number. "Can I ask you something? Do you promise not to laugh?"

"Sweetie, you can ask us anything." Snow leaned forward and patted Belle's knee. A part of her secretly hoped that Emma was taking notes. This was how you asked your friends for support.

"Is Captain Hook real? Does he live here?"

Belle looked up at Snow and Emma, curiosity burning in her eyes. Emma and Snow's eyes went wide. Ruby whirled around when she heard Hook's name, and stalked over to lean in from the kitchen side of the counter.

"Yes, Belle, he is definitely real. Did you see him? Did he talk to you?" Ruby barely contained a snarl.

"He just apologized to me, in front of the library. He was very polite. It seemed as if he really meant it."

"He apologized?" Snow was incredulous.

"Well, not before trying to justify the whole thing. Typical man. But it's really nice to hear you say he's real and I wasn't just dreaming him up."

"Oh he's as real as they come." Emma murmured. Ruby heard, and gave her a sideways smirk.

"Are you okay? Did he say anything to upset you?" Snow continued, cautiously, noting the way Belle seemed to sigh after each recollection.

"I'm fine. I just - I think he's the most handsome man I've ever seen." Belle grinned sheepishly, trying to replay the story Captain Hook had told her a few more times in her mind, recounting his low voice and mesmerizing eyes. She didn't know how long she'd be able to hold on to the memory before she'd have to reconfirm that it did indeed happen.

This admission changed Ruby's demeanor entirely. In a moment she was transformed from the overprotective mama-wolf into a shameless gossip hound.

"OH MY GOD, BELLE. Did you hit on Captain Hook?" It was all Ruby could do to prevent herself from full on yelling.

"I might have." Belle blushed and bit her lip while Emma and Snow continued to stare, wide-eyed. "It doesn't matter," she continued, "he's already got a girlfriend."

"He said that?" Ruby's mind was racing. "Did he say who?" She shot a quick glance at Emma, and laughed internally at her terrified expression. "Belle, you HAVE to tell us, what were his exact words?"

"He said..." Belle breathed deeply, calming her mind in order to retrieve this thought. "He said he already had a savior."

Ruby slammed her hands on the counter, gleefully. She turned her hungry eyes on _the savior,_ Emma. Snow whirled her stool around to face her daughter. It felt like minutes since she had last been able to blink. Belle followed the other two women to Emma's face, which was just now being overrun by a flush that had crept up from her neck.

"Is it you, Emma?" Belle asked with complete innocence.

"What?" Emma sputtered. "That's ridiculous."

"You can't deny it, Emma!" Ruby was nearly frothing. "You marked him as soon as he got to town. I can still smell it on him when he comes in for food."

Snow's mouth had opened in shock and then confusion.

"Marked him? That's impossible - and disgusting." Emma was beside herself.

Snow nodded wordlessly in agreement with Emma.

"Pheromones, sweetie." Ruby waved her hand in a circle in front of her face. "They're kind of impossible for me to ignore." Now it was her turn to be stared down by three looks of surprise. She tried to shrug it off. "It's for the better. I lose less girl friends that way. Always know when to keep my paws off."

Belle's eyes widened at the thought.

"Emma, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize."

Once again Emma was like a deer caught between three high powered searchlights.

"NO. No, no, no. There is nothing to be sorry about. There's a big difference between being _the savior _and Hook's savior. And he's...pheromone-y because he's in my jail all the time."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "That's not how it works."

Snow opened her mouth to speak, when Emma's cell phone suddenly began to ring loudly.

"Oh look at me, saved by the bell." Emma hopped off her stool and walked a few feet away from the group in order to hear the call. She listened for a moment, then let her head slump, rubbing her forehead with her free hand. She told the caller she'd be right over, then hung up and stepped over to her mother and friends.

"I have to go." Emma's voice was low, and she had trouble making eye contact. "Hook is causing problems at the tavern."

"Oh dear. Whatever shall you do? I guess you _have_ to go get him." Ruby taunted Emma, sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm just doing my duty."

Emma turned on her heel and stalked to the door, but she couldn't get out before Ruby called after her.

"You'd probably be a lot less uptight if you actually started _doing_ your duty!"

The door clanged shut behind Emma, leaving Snow still clutching her cocoa, battered by waves of emotion. She placed the drink gingerly on the counter, then looked up at Ruby with watery eyes.

"Is it true? Pheromones? Really?" She was nearly whispering.

Ruby cocked her head sympathetically, cursing herself for being so brazen in front of Snow. They had always been so close. But now Emma wasn't the only one who couldn't get used to the idea that Snow was Emma's mother. Ruby tried her best to choose her next words carefully.

"Pheromones can't tell you anything about true love. But I know that people have needs, just like animals. Sometimes one person is missing something that another person can replace. It might not have to be forever to be good for them. For both of them."

Ruby was drying a glass absentmindedly as she came up with this bit of wisdom. Snow covered her face with both her hands, shaking her head and whining Ruby's name.

"You basically just told me that my daughter needs to get laid." her voice was muffled by her palms.

"There, there," chimed Belle. "If it makes you feel better, he really is the most beautiful man I've ever seen."

**A/N:** I. Love. This. Chapter. I hope you squealed. But it is short. I love your comments, and they really inspire me to make sure everything I post is the best I can come up with.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma thanked God for the cool night air once again as she felt the blood leave her face. She trudged towards the tavern, wondering what Killian had done to warrant a call. Whatever it was, it had saved her from an unbearable conversation, so she owed him for that.

When she entered the tavern she was greeted by a welcoming yell.

"Emma!" Killian threw his arms in the air, his hook clanking against a low-hanging lamp. The lamp swung lazily over his head, bathing his pleasant expression in waves of shadows.

She looked around to see what kind of trouble he could be causing. A few lonely patrons were strewn across the dimly lit room. The barkeep seemed to be mopping the floor next to Killian's table. There were shards of broken glass glistening around his feet.

"What did you do here, exactly?" Emma picked her way over the glass to stand in front of him.

"Well I was at first considering getting my hands on one of those phone thingys to call you, proper, but I didn't know your magic code. But don't dismay." He gestured grandly at the floor. "That was a very poor excuse for rum and I've once again done everyone a favor."

The mopping barkeep rolled his eyes. Killian had drank half the bottle before deciding the rum was unacceptable. Now he held his hands out towards Emma, tapping his good wrist against the base of his hook.

"Would you care to arrest me?"

"Come on. Get up." Emma grabbed his hook and pulled him out of his seat, leading him out the door. She could feel him swaying behind her. He had appeared to be much more in control of his faculties when he was sitting down. Once they'd made it outside she pulled his hook over her shoulder and put her other hand around his waist. They walked slowly away from the tavern, down the sidewalk in front of the docks. Killian was unusually quiet.

"I'd like it if you could see my ship." The words sounded as if they were coming out of the past. Killian wasn't sure if he had even said them out loud.

"You need a cold shower. And I can see your ship." Emma looked down the long pier to her left. There was Killian's ship, looking like a beautifully kept antique.

Killian followed her gaze, but saw nothing. He knew where it was in theory, and how to get on and off, when he wasn't drunk, but there was no denying it - the ship was invisible.

"You're lying."

Emma shrugged, and began steering him towards the sheriff's station.

"Swan, stop. You can really see my ship?"

"Yes, _Hook._ I can really see you ship."

"And how long have you been able to see my ship?"

"Since you got here. Now come on."

The idea that his own ship was invisible to everyone but Emma was derailing Killian's motor skills.

"Why didn't you bring this up before?" Killian questioned, sharply.

"Please, will you just walk!" Emma could feel Killian shifting more of his weight onto her, in a silent protest of their progress. Finally Emma had to stop, or be stuck dragging Killian beside her like a bratty toddler.

"Aha! You kept it a secret because you're hoping you'll be able to see anything else that Cora might try to conceal with her invisibility charm. That's very keen. I like the way you think."

Killian had dumped all of his weight on Emma now, for a bit of fun. She was doing her best to hold them both steady and upright, and she was not amused.

"Stand up."

"Take me to my ship."

"We're going to jail."

"I can get out of jail. In all honesty, I can get into jail too. I've already showered today." Killian fished the key out of his pocket and dangled it in front of Emma. It explained so much about the items she had sworn were missing from her desk.

"I'll take your hook."

"Please, Emma. Over a broken bottle? Take me to my ship. I won't believe you can really see it unless you do.

Emma gritted her teeth. On the plus side, it was very close by. It also saved her from limping past Granny's or the library with drunk hook wrapped around her shoulders.

"Fine."

They bumbled down the pier together, and sure enough, Emma stepped confidently onto the gangplank that Killian could not see. Once on board, Emma was out of breath. Killian, on the other hand, straightened up, and pulled them to the stairwell that led up to the captain's quarters. Emma released him at the door.

"Well. You're here. Don't fall overboard." She turned to leave, trying to take in as much of the ship as possible without looking the least bit interested. Killian caught her hand.

"You're not going to stay and watch me fall asleep? I'm tired of you breaking with our traditions."

Killian pushed his door open with a flourish, revealing a dark cabin. He then promptly tripped down the two steps that led into the room, pulling Emma into the shadows with him.

"Goddamnit, Killian!" Emma sat on the floor rubbing a sore spot on her knee. Killian hopped up, and grabbed a brand new flashlight from a table by the door.

"You said my name." He smiled to himself, flicked on the light, and shined it directly into Emma's eyes, momentarily. "Magic," he quipped.

She winced, then watched him from her seat on the floor for the next minute or two as he walked around the cabin lighting lamps with a book of matches. Once the room was fully lit it appeared to be quite cozy and neat. The bed was large, and looked very plush, but the rest of the room was sparse and orderly.

Emma didn't know exactly why she hadn't grabbed her first chance to run out of there. Perhaps she wanted to continue avoiding Ruby and Belle, and most of all Snow. The possibility that Snow could already be recounting the conversation from the diner to David made her blush again.

But there was something empowering in hearing people talk about Killian that way. She knew how Belle felt, wondering if he were real. She had spent many nights convincing herself he was just the hollow manifestation of a storybook character, nothing more than a tragic cartoon, come to life. Now it was she who felt like an alien in Killian's world- a glaring anachronism in his otherwise orderly arrangement.

She stayed put on the floor, there being no where else to sit but the bed. Killian joined her there thinking it would be a long time before he could convince her to sit next to him on his mattress. She seemed deep in thought. He interrupted.

"Would you like a drink?"

"Sure." She answered simply.

Killian raised an eyebrow. He was surprised she was still in his room, and now she was accepting a drink. He snapped up and reached into a small cabinet, coming out with an old brown bottle. He passed it to her unceremoniously, and watched closely as she sipped it. She didn't sputter, partially because she knew how to drink, but also because whatever was in the bottle was very smooth. She licked her lips and passed it back to Killian. He took a sip himself, and looked at the floor. He didn't know how to initiate their usual banter in this new, intimate setting.

"Have I ever told you about Neverland?" He finally broke the silence.

"Every time you're drunk you tell me about Neverland." She looked up and noticed he wasn't wearing his usual manic grin. "But you're not drunk anymore, are you?"

"Maybe a little. Enough to have needed your assistance getting here. Do I really tell you about Neverland every time?"

"Yes you do. And sometimes you sing about it."

"Hmm. I have no recollection of that," Killian mused. "Have there been any other significant _exchanges_ between us that I may also have no memory of?" He leaned forward slightly, jumping at the chance to eye her, suggestively.

"Oh please," Emma scoffed, "if we ever have a 'significant exchange', there's no way you'll be able to forget it." As soon as the words passed her lips, she froze. She had never before dignified his innuendos with a response.

Killian heard it too. His lowered his chin, gazing at her from under his mischievous eyebrows.

"Is that a challenge?"

Emma shook her head, waving her hands in front of her.

"No, no, no, no."

"Because you know I love a challenge." He leaned towards her, hungrily.

Emma reached forward and put her hand on Killian's mouth in an effort to quiet his advance. He nipped at the meat of her palm, gently. She moved her hand, instinctively, and Killian was not prepared for its replacement.

She grabbed a handful of Killian's collar with her bitten hand, and pulled him into her moistened lips. At least that way he couldn't say anything. Emma's hormones had finally defeated her will power, and were now sending waves of heat into her tight jeans. Killian snaked his hand around her waist, dipping it up and under her shirt to run his fingers along the small of her back, which led Emma to swing her hips around and straddle him, her hands sliding over his shoulders and around the nape of his neck.

They were making out like teenagers, on the floor of the captain's quarters. Killian let his hook rest between his legs, instinctively keeping it out of the dangerous tangle of limbs, away from Emma's perfect skin. Emma brushed against it as she ground her hips into his, then paused, and found it again, enjoying the sensation of the cool metal against her groin. She inched away from Killian's lips for a moment to let out a soft moan.

Killian took the pause as an opportunity to nip and suck at Emma's neck, while his good hand moved further up her back, pressing hard between her shoulder blades. She released his neck and leaned back into his hand, grasping the bottom of her blouse and pulling it roughly over her head. Her hair fell down around her shoulders in perfect waves, curtaining her lacy black bra. Killian was intrigued by the device, and immediately reached up to examine its contents.

Emma closed her eyes and ran her fingers through Killian's hair as she concentrated on the flood of sensations, some familiar, and some entirely new. The hook between her legs, the gentle kisses moving down her chest, the weathered fingertips teasing her nipple all sent shivers of pleasure cascading down her spine. She couldn't take it anymore.

Killian's eyes flashed uncertainty as Emma suddenly stood up. His panic was only momentary, as he watched her kick off her shoes, slide her jeans to the floor and release her breasts from their lacy enclosure. He also stood, and Emma noted his perfect height and musculature as she wrenched his coat and vest off his shoulders, one after the other. Killian meanwhile kicked off the remainder of his clothing until only the thin fabric of Emma's black lace boy shorts was left between them.

Emma pushed Killian lightly onto the bed, and bit her lip, considering for a split second the consequences of what was about to ensue. _Screw it._ The consequences were hypothetical, whereas Killian was real and she needed him now. She removed her last piece of clothing, resolutely.

She climbed over him, her bare skin glancing against his, seductively. Part of her wanted to take control. It was her automatic response - to climb atop her partner and close her eyes, shushing any utterance that might break her concentration.

But Killian didn't let her rush. He propped himself up to meet her mouth, kissing her with a deliberation she'd never found in a man whose pants were already on the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck once more, allowing the rest of her body to sink into his, aligning itself naturally.

They continued to kiss, rising and falling in time with their heady sighs and arching backs. Emma gasped as Killian entered her, her eyes opening suddenly and meeting his, the rush of pleasure making her lips curl into a happy sigh. It was not what was Emma was used to. It was not was she had been looking for, or expecting. It was surprisingly wordless. It was incomprehensibly satisfying, and so cliche that they both reached the climax together, their concentrated gasps turning into sheepish grins as they eyed each other, breathlessly.

Emma rolled to her back to let the cool air prickle along her chest and torso. She was concentrating on her breathing as if she were at a yoga class, trying to clear her mind, or at least wrangle it back to sea level. She wondered if all fairy-tale sex was this good, and snuck a glance at Killian, who was also resting on his back with his forearm shielding his eyes from the lamplight. His breaths were becoming slower now, and more uniform. She continued to watch his chest rise and fall until she was sure he was asleep.

Emma inched out of the bed and back into the majority of her clothing. She wondered if it was important to blow out all the lamps. She decided it would be a good idea, and used Killian's silly flashlight to pick her way out of the room after the last flame was doused.

Once she was back on deck she breathed deeply and let her head fall back to glance at the stars. She meandered to the closest railing to see their twinkling reflections in the water. She had just slept with Killian Jones, and the world hadn't come crashing to an end. She noticed a stark lack of guilt that was strange to her, especially after all of her earlier denial.

"Come on, love. I'll walk you home."

Killian had appeared behind her, fully dressed, but looking sleepy.

"Hey, I watched you fall asleep."

"I'm open to establishing some new traditions." He summed up his approval of the evening with a knowing smile.

The two started down the stairs together.

"I'll let you walk me as far as the sheriff's station. You should stop there and take a shower so that you don't run into Ruby with the smell of... me on you."

"As you wish."

It seemed as if Killian had left his lust for argument with Emma's lacy bra on the floor of his cabin.

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews/ favorites. They're eye-opening. A major plot revision is slowing me down, but I hope to have the next chapter done shortly. **


	6. Chapter 6

Emma and Killian walked towards the sheriff's station in a calm silence that neither one of them found uncomfortable. Emma was enjoying being near Killian without the usual pretense of chaperoning or feigning of hatred. She wasn't sure if it would last until tomorrow, so she enjoyed it while she could.

Killian's thoughts were along the same vein. Maybe he'd really go find a phone for himself. More likely he'd wake up in his chilly cabin, alone, still hating the crocodile, with only whiffs of his "savior" left in the air. As much as they both wished their little romp would be transformative, their combined faith in the power of love currently amounted to a pittance.

"You can keep the key to the station." Emma broke the silence as their destination came into view.

"That's very gracious. I was fully intending to."

When they reached the walkway to the sheriff's office Emma stopped walking and turned to look at Killian, eyes wide, not quite sure what to expect. He returned her gaze with a glare of triumph and a subtle smirk. His eyes wandered from her face down to her chest.

"I think you may have left something on my ship."

Emma folded her arms across her chest, defensively. She tried to shrug, nonchalantly.

"I could always come by and return it to you, tomorrow." Killian flashed her his most alluring, evil grin.

"No, that's really okay. I'll pick it up myself." Worry bled through her easygoing tone.

"Well if you wait too long, I'm going to have to hand deliver it back to you. And if you're not around, I could just leave it with David."

Blackmail. Emma shook her head. She felt a little hurt that Killian instinctively knew she would not return to his ship if she were not motivated by the threat of humiliation. She wished that he had given her a chance to surprise him.

"I can get it... the day after tomorrow."

Killian licked his lips.

"Excellent. Care to join me in the shower as a show of good faith?"

It must have been too late for clever wordplay. Emma smiled, and moved in a step closer. She ran her right hand over the hook and up Killian's sleeve, gently gripping the piece of his forearm where metal met skin. His eyes darted there, his expression momentarily disconcerted. Emma stood on her toes and kissed his rough cheek, lightly.

"Goodnight, Killian."

She turned and walked towards her home, hugging herself in the cool night air, and wondering if she could manage to get through the house without waking anybody up.

Snow was sitting at the kitchen island, clutching and sipping another mug full of warm liquid. It was past 2:00 AM, and Emma was still not home. She sighed, already defeated. The conversation at the diner had left her worried and confused. It was plain as day that there was _something_ between Emma and Hook. Up to that point she had been telling herself it was just a camaraderie between two tough kids. Even Henry seemed to be in the club. Then Ruby very eloquently blew that theory out of the water, and it wasn't very difficult to see her point. Snow had walked home in a daze, and spent the rest of her evening mulling over any of the possible indicators that Emma and Hook were in love.

The lock clicked as Emma put her key in the latch, then the door creaked open with a low moan. She tiptoed into the kitchen, quiet as a mouse until she realized the light was on. Her eyes darted around the room, landing on Snow, whose face was awash with manic worry and relief. Emma's cheeks burned crimson as soon as she saw her mother, wordlessly answering what was going to be Snow's most intrusive question.

"I couldn't sleep." Snow's soft voice made it sound like an apology.

"Yeah. Me neither." Emma felt the warm spreading from her cheeks to her forehead and neck. She stood still for a moment, then stiffly walked to the sink to get a glass of water.

"How'd it go with Hook at the tavern?"

"Well, he was drunk, so I brought him back to his ship." Emma ran the tap, filled a small glass with water, then promptly drained it. She began to turn towards her bedroom. Every bit of skin that Killian had touched seemed to be on fire under Snow's gaze.

"Emma, do you love Hook?" It was not the question that Snow had thought she was going to ask, but Emma's impending retreat had pulled it out of her.

Emma froze for a moment, and thought about simply walking out of the room and going to bed. She didn't want the people she was supposed to feel most comfortable around to ask her these sorts of questions. But the same question had been dancing around her head during the walk home, and she had composed a good answer. She turned back to face Snow.

"When you love someone you make have to make sacrifices for them. There's nothing I would sacrifice for Killian - not Henry, not you, not David - not our life here or whatever our plans are. So, no, I don't love...Hook."

Snow looked down at the floor to conceal the tiny drops of moisture that had sprung to her eyes. She didn't know why they were there. She fought to control the stubborn, fairy-tale piece of her psyche that prioritized true love above all else. Emma was too busy worrying about what she was going to say next to notice her mother's emotion.

"But I may be spending-" Emma hesitated, trying to phrase it delicately. "I mean, after Henry's asleep, if you're both here -"

"You can spend your nights wherever you like, Emma." Snow smiled, reassuringly. "You're a grown woman."

"Are you going to tell David?"

"No, I don't have to tell David. He's rather sensitive about _Killian's _antics. I'm not sure he would understand."

Emma rolled her eyes at her own ridiculous predicament. She browsed through the catalogue of inappropriate comments and innuendos unleashed by Killian since his arrival. Most of them were tools he employed to goad David. A few of them had turned out to be very genuine. Snow was right, David would not understand.

"If I'm happy with it, and it's distracting Hook from hurting Gold, do you think it's wrong?"

Snow extended her bottom lip, slightly and looked at the ceiling while she picked her words.

"If no one is getting hurt then I think it's a good thing. There's nothing wrong with being happy."

Emma smiled weakly at Snow, for the first time that evening. Snow slid off her stool and walked Emma to the hallway, reaching out for a moment to squeeze her arm for reassurance. They could hear David snoring, loudly, which left Emma relieved. It was unlikely that he would ever wake up during one of her late night returns.

The next morning felt fresh and normal. Snow and Emma had each independently decided to focus on living in the moment, neither one of them wanting to accidentally allude to a secret or share a look with the other under Henry's watchful eyes. As breakfast ended, Emma helped Henry pack his lunch, narrowing her eyes at him when he ran to retrieve an entire bag of Hershey Kisses from the cabinet and placed the whole package in his lunch bag.

"I haven't seen Killian in a while," Henry explained, simply, "but I want to make sure I have something to buy stories with if he shows up."

Emma breathed in, concentrating on not looking at her mother.

"So you're going to bring the whole bag back if he's not there?"

"Sure. But he'll probably be there. There's not that much for him to _do _around here, really."

"Yeah, I guess that's true, kid."

"Hey, you could hang out with him. He likes you a lot."

"Who likes her a lot?" David came in the room, smiling and asking to be caught up to speed.

Emma winced, preemptively, as Henry turned to David.

"Killian likes Emma a lot. He said she's his only friend here."

Snow had been quietly marveling at Henry's perception. His ability to locate and expose the elephant in the room was like a sixth sense. He hadn't seen Hook in days, but he had just now decided to share this information. Could it be just a coincidence that the boy had awakened, much like his mother, with Hook on the brain? Snow realized her silence would eventually reveal she was hiding something, so she decided to chime in.

"Well gee, Emma. If you would just go and hang out with Hook you could probably cut the town's crime rate in half."

"Ha." David guffawed over a piece of toast.

"Yeah, Ha." Emma repeated. "It'd be good to know what he was up to, but you'd run the risk of me shooting him for being obnoxious."

"That's my girl," David gleamed, proudly.

Henry tilted his head and looked at Emma, a little crestfallen.

"You don't have to tell him I said that, if you see him." Emma back-pedaled.

"I won't. It's kind of mean."

All three adults suffered a pang of guilt. They knew they shouldn't have spoken so flippantly about the life or death of the pirate. He had been nothing but kind and responsible around Henry. Emma's guilt stung a bit more, because she had only fabricated the sentiment to throw David off her trail.

"Come on, kid. How about I drive you to school?"

She grabbed a coat and scarf off of the coat rack, carefully choosing pieces that had not come into contact with any of her garments from the night before. Henry walked out the door in front of her, silently.

The drive to Henry's school was short and quiet. Emma managed to choke out a sort-of apology to Henry, clunkily explaining that she really didn't want to shoot Killian, but that his sense of humor could occasionally be maddening. Henry nodded. He seemed to understand. She pulled up in front of the school and patted him on the shoulder before he hopped out of the car. Henry dipped his head down to peer at his mother before closing the door.

"So if I see Killian today I can tell him you will hang out with him?"

Emma swallowed.

"Sure, Henry. You can tell him."

"Okay, bye Emma!" With that, Henry slammed the door shut and ran to the school.

Emma watched him jog away. In the beginning she hadn't realized you had to share kids with so many people - school, grandparents, friends, stepmothers - and now Killian Jones, of all people. She sighed, and drove to Granny's for her usual cup of coffee. She practiced her poker face, en route to the diner, trying to get comfortable with last night's escapade, so that any inference of it wouldn't cause her to blush uncontrollably and give herself away.

She entered the diner cooly, and greeted Ruby with a confident smile. Ruby smiled back with only the slightest hint of malice twinkling in her eye while she poured Emma a cup of coffee.

"How was the tavern last night?" Ruby asked innocently.

"It was typical. I pulled Hook out and sent him on his way. And of course, I had to thank him for saving me from you and your hair brained theories." Emma applauded herself for her flawless delivery.

"Oh. And how did you get them back?" Ruby's eyes pierced Emma with curiosity.

"How did I get what back?" Emma was confused.

"Your boots," Ruby answered simply, before a wicked grin spread across her face like an ink stain. "'Cause it smells like someone stole them from you and then went walking all over a pirate ship."

Emma let the air out of her lungs with an indignant sigh, dropping her shoulders, then slumping her forehead onto the counter. Her golden locks fell around her face like a blanket. She had been so careful when picking out her clothes, but had let her vanity get the better of her, and put on her favorite boots without thinking.

"HA. Busted! Shit, does Snow know?"

"Yes." Emma's answer was defeated and muffled by hair, her forehead still flat on the counter.

"Was it worth it?"

It was an odd question, and Emma was not sure that one night with Killian, no matter how amazing, was worth the emotional inquisition she had to endure from the people closest to her. She would need at least one more rendezvous for it to balance out, and more than that if things went awry, for instance, if David were to find out.

"I'll let you know on Friday."

Ruby clapped her hands silently, happy that someone was getting more than a headache from the beautiful, dark pirate.

**A/N: Upcoming- there will be action! We'll end up in the hospital. And who doesn't love a good Storybrooke hospital scene? I love and cherish your reviews. Trying to wrap this all up by next Sunday. I think this is more than I've ever written about anything in my entire life.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm sorry, did I say "action"? I meant ANGST. Action pushed to Chapter 8. Let me know if the characters don't ring true in this chapter.**

Killian sat on the bench by the school, watching the boats. They weren't doing much more than a lot of bobbing up and down, but it passed the time. A distant bell let him know that Henry would soon be joining him. His mouth began to water.

"Killian! I knew you'd be here today."

"Master Henry. How exactly did you know that?"

"It's kind of my thing. Emma can tell when people are lying and I know what people are thinking. And today you were thinking that you wanted some chocolate."

Henry pulled the Kisses out of his bag and tossed them Killian, who snagged them expertly with his hook. Henry then pulled a sandwich out of the bag and began to eat his lunch, while Killian eyed the small silver package he'd removed from the now open bag. He held it between his thumb and forefinger, raking his middle finger against it to free the confection from the delicate foil. He looked back at Henry and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry." Henry looked embarrassed for a moment, as he quickly unwrapped a little pile of chocolates for Killian, using his empty sandwich bag as a plate.

"So, what would you like to know today?" Killian began munching on candies, contentedly.

"Um. Well I was wondering, why did you come to Storybrooke? Are you going to have an adventure here? Because it's not really a very exciting place." Henry sounded as if he were trying to break the news gently.

"A cursed town in the midst of a land without magic isn't exciting?" Killian deflected.

"Well, what I mean is, there's not really a lot to pillage. I don't think there's any treasure or anything."

"Well that's where you could be wrong. The definition of "treasure" is specific to the individual. I've got all the gold I need. I've come here for other things. Things that someone like you might not consider valuable."

Killian trailed off, wondering how long he would have to offer vague, unsatisfying answers until Henry gave up.

"That's too bad. I was hoping you'd be able to find a bunch of gold here. _That _would be exciting."

Henry finished his sandwich while watching the water. Killian was surprised, and relieved that the boy was silent. He was hoping to find Gold as well. He had succeeded in tormenting the man a bit upon his arrival. But Belle's progress was giving him an ache in the pit of his stomach. His thirst for vengeance had impeccable timing, piqued again just as he'd found the most pleasant distraction. He referred to an image of night before, picturing Emma naked in his bed, peacefully draped in his bed sheets.

Killian suddenly felt uneasy, and quickly bid Henry farewell. Henry opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it, and simply waved goodbye.

Killian wandered away from the school through alleys and side-streets. He recognized a familiar emptiness that would only be filled by an eyeful of Gold's suffering. He paused in the alley across from Gold's shop, just in time to watch Belle approach the door, sheepishly. Killian lingered in a shadow, eyes glued on the shop as Belle entered. His heart began to pound in his neck as he waited, unmoving, trying to will his eyes to see through the walls, or his ears to detect a hint of anguish.

Much to Killian's delight, Belle stomped out of the shop in a huff soon after entering. She wrapped her sweater around her waist, indignantly and scowled as she walked back towards the center of town. A moment later he heard the loud crash of breaking glass inside the shop. Gold was angry. This was promising.

His eyes were diverted from the shop when he heard the shuffle of a footstep close by.

"Hook?"

It was David's voice. Of all the times he could be walking past Gold's shop, thought Killian.

"David." Hook growled. He held his ground and left his malice apparent.

David slowed to a stop, his hands in his pockets. He glanced at Hook, then back at Gold's shop.

"Everything all right here?"

Hook bit his lip and smiled maniacally, rubbing his forehead with this good hand. It was all he could do to stop himself from lashing out against David, physically. But the man was Emma's father. He chuckled at the absurdity of that reasoning. He was within 50 feet of the crocodile, worried that Emma wouldn't return to him if he traded blows with her father.

David stood and watched bits of Killian's inner turmoil mix with the self-loathing grin on his face. For a moment he felt something for the pirate. He thankfully did not know the depths to which his soul would have sunk if he had lost Snow, but he guessed that despite the pronounced differences in their personalities, he would have found himself in a similar situation.

"I'm going to walk away now." David began to leave, then stopped, and sighed loudly. He turned towards Hook, almost against his will.

"Hook. You've had your chance to be self-destructive. Now you're in Storybrooke. People have stuck their neck out for you. _Emma_ has stuck her neck out for you." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but instead he turned and walked away, briskly.

The lights flicked off in Gold's shop, and Killian was left standing alone in a dark alley. His mouth was dry and he was hot behind his eyes. He turned and stalked towards his ship, gritting his teeth and wishing he could fault David more for trying to guilt him out of revenge. It would have been easier if David hadn't thrown Emma in his face.

Killian took the long way home. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he had last eaten, but it felt like there was a hot coal in his stomach. Eventually, he counted his paces down the dock, reaching his hand out to find the invisible mooring line that would lead him to his invisible gangplank. He hardly paid attention as his ship blurred into view around him, and was halfway across the deck before he realized something was there that didn't belong.

"Killian." Emma was perched on the rail of his ship, enjoying the solitude offered by a cloak of invisibility. She had arrived almost a half an hour earlier, and poked around a bit before becoming increasingly uncomfortable with snooping.

Killian's body tensed in surprise while his heart warmed automatically at the sound of Emma's soft voice saying his name. The darkness he had so recently been wrestling reared inside him like a hissing cobra on the defensive.

"Emma Swan. Back for more so soon, or was it your duty as sheriff to search my ship today?"

Emma could immediately see that Killian was wounded, and lashing out because of it. She looked him over with concern, unhappy with his tone, and therefore ignoring everything he said. She slid off the rail and walked to him.

"I brought you some dinner. Come on."

Emma set off to the galley, which she had found during her earlier exploration. Killian eyed her, his breaths feeling heavy, then followed slowly behind. She unpacked a paper bag, setting his dinner on the table, opening up a variety of take-out containers from Granny's, and a half-empty bag of Hershey Kisses. She unwrapped the plastic silverware and put it in front of him, then sat back to watch him navigate his meal with one hand. He was very adept, but the process still appeared to be arduous.

Killian ate in silence, pretending that his earlier near-episode with Gold was just a result of hunger, and would be cleared up by the end of the meal. Emma sat and quietly looked around at the galley, absentmindedly eating chocolates. Killian watched her slowly unwrap a kiss with her delicate fingers. He snatched it from her as she lifted it towards her mouth. She rolled her eyes and quickly unwrapped several candies for him.

"I wouldn't have pictured you as the motherly type." He looked her over, approvingly in this new light.

"Yeah, me neither. It hasn't even been a year."

"Henry's at least 10. Is there something I don't know about aging in this realm?"

"I didn't raise Henry. I just birthed him. He came and found me when he realized the town was cursed."

"Well, well. Whether you raised him or not, that in itself would convince anyone he was your son."

Emma looked wistful.

"I guess so. I'm trying to catch up. I wish I could freeze him right now and spend a couple more years trying to get the mom thing right."

Killian's head was lowered, but he looked up at Emma through his eyebrows with a serious stare.

"I could take us to a place where you'd never run out of time." It was yet another string of words Killian's mind didn't recognize. Another gut reaction to fatigue, and Emma's close proximity.

"Neverland." Emma looked directly into Killian's eyes. "From what you've told me, I don't think I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Killian questioned.

Emma hesitated. She had noticed the food had calmed him down, but there was still a shadow lurking in the back of his eyes. She proceeded with caution.

"Time brings about change. If there's no such thing as time in Neverland then I would be stuck the way I am now, for a very, very long time."

"What's wrong with that?" Killian asked, sharply.

"I've got some things to work out." Her eyes flicked up to Killian's when she mentioned _things._ "I wouldn't want to have any regrets. I wouldn't want to know what it was like to dwell on them for an eternity."

"You do realize I'd be there to distract you, don't you, love? I think we could find some pleasing ways to pass a decade or two." Killian chided her, playfully, uncomfortable with her honesty.

"Sure. Until you figured out a new plan to kill Gold. How exactly did you keep track of whether he was still even alive while you were there?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Killian looked away, his mood darkening, instantly.

"You brought it up. So what did your time in Neverland get you? A couple of lifetimes to plot revenge? That doesn't sound like such a paradise."

Killian was sitting with his chair pushed back onto two legs, his foot on the table. He glared at Emma now for behaving as if she were familiar with his pain. The anger from before coiled in his chest again, ready to lash out.

"You have no idea what I lost. Rumplestiltskin tore out her heart, and I watched her die in my arms. It's not something one can simply shrug off." Killian's voice was dead and low. He had leveled his chair and looked ready to rise out of his seat with anger.

But Emma was prepared to go blow for blow, verbally. She was overtired from the night before and her emotions had been running hot all day.

"At least you know that she was taken from you against her will- that she _chose_ you," she hissed back at him. "I've had someone die in my arms too. I know what it's like to feel so powerless. I wonder if I could have done something differently, every goddamned day. But you know what stings just a little bit worse? Having anyone and everyone you love walk out on you."

Emma was standing now, the lamplight softly illuminating the flush in her cheeks and a fire in her eyes.

"Do you know what happens in this realm when your boyfriend turns you in to the cops while you're in possession of his stolen property? You go to jail. And do you know what happens when you have no family and you have a baby in jail? They take it away from you. Where do I go to get vengeance? Should I hunt the bastard down and kill him because he didn't love me? Why not, right?"

Sarcasm bled through the question.

"And Regina has apparently spent her entire adult life trying to kill my mother and father. Because of her stupid curse, they sent me _here_ and I got raised like an orphan. Then she poisoned Henry instead of me. Should I kill Regina? You're damned right I should, except she's the adopted mother of my son. So instead I have to take _her_ side because I'm the only one who believes Henry when he tells us that she's genuinely trying to change."

Emma's voice had risen slowly, until her speech was officially a tirade.

"And speaking of murderous assholes- now despite every attempt I've made to get my fucking life together, I'm in love with _Captain Hook_, a story-book pirate who is spending afternoons with my son, and evenings planning a homicide."

Emma slapped her hand on the table, open palmed, to punctuate _homicide_.

"So, no, I don't think running off to Neverland would help me forget how bad it feels to lose something. Look at you. You're living proof that it's not even possible."

Emma breathed in, finally, echoes of her own words now able to reach her ringing ears. She knew she had said aloud that she was in love with Hook, but she was not phased. She'd known it since the moment she found Killian Jones, just as she'd always known it was doomed for failure, like every other emotional attachment she'd ever formed.

She glanced down at Killian's expression. His face was a portrait of sadness, and his eyes were focused past Emma, at some spot on the wall. She stalked out of the galley and up the stairs to the deck.

"I'll walk you home, love." Killian called out after her, snapping back to reality.

"I'm going to get my bra." Emma shot back.

Killian's mouth twitched, involuntarily. He hopped up from his chair and scurried up the stairs to the door of his cabin to block any possible escape. Emma was shining the flashlight along the floor, looking for her lost undergarment. Killian entered, and lit a lamp, quickly. He then turned to Emma, putting his hand on the flashlight to take it away from her. Her cheeks were glistening with moisture and her eyes were red. He took the flashlight out of her hand and set it down, then reached up to cradle her cheek in his hand.

Emma had been right about a good many things, and there was nothing he could say to her now that wouldn't sound argumentative or ingenious. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, gently. He wanted to send her off his ship, away from another scenario that would end in more hurt, but his body never responded correctly to the decisions he made when they were together.

Emma closed her eyes, cataloguing another moment in the part of her mind she escaped to when she felt like there was nothing good left in the world. She reached her hands up to touch Killian's face, drawing him down from her cheek to her mouth. She then grasped his collar as she backed into the bed, pulling him down, over her.

They spent what felt like hours in his bed, neither one saying a word, communicating with soft moans and digging fingertips. Emma had watched the darkness dissolve out of Killian's eyes as he first leaned in to kiss her. If this was the only way to rid him of it, then this was the only time they would ever both truly be happy. A tear sprung to her eyes after their final ascent, unnoticed by Killian, who was still wincing with pleasure.

She stayed as long as she dared, but she wanted to be home before Henry woke up. She carefully gathered up all her belongings, removing every trace of herself from the room. Killian stirred just as she was slipping out the door. She walked down to the deck, and off the ship, slowly. She was just reaching the sidewalk when he caught up to her. He walked close beside her, quietly, until she hooked her arm through his. This made him smile.

They were both deep in thought, wondering, imagining, hoping for a beautiful resolution to their night, but preparing themselves for a bitter end. With their minds so engaged, their eyes became lazy. Neither of them noticed the figure with the cane lurking in the shadows of the library.


	8. Chapter 8

Mr. Gold watched Emma Swan, the savior of Storybrooke, materialize out of thin air on the dock. He noted the location of the invisible gangplank, and considered using a reveal charm to simplify things. He lingered in the shadows, giving Emma the chance to get a good distance away before the fireworks started.

Gold was rather disgusted with Emma, and how she could not resist cavorting with Hook, despite his single-mindedly evil intentions. Up until now, Gold had enjoyed giving himself credit for Emma's magical accomplishments, for it was he who had recognized she would be the product of true love, and assigned her the position of _savior._ Ever since she broke the curse, and magic was brought to Storybrooke, Emma's abilities had grown. He knew she had access to powers that even he couldn't teach, and it was a great relief to him that she was constantly too swept up in the drama of being "good" to realize her potential. That is, until Hook came along.

As Emma neared the sidewalk, a second dark figure emerged from nothingness. It was _him_. Hook walked briskly to catch up with Emma, joining her without a word. Gold watched Emma take Hook's arm. That one small action sent a spasm of hatred down his spine. He had supposed that Emma was beginning her walk of shame, and that Hook would be available for some _adjusting_ on his ship. But this little gesture of romance, the two of them walking together, threw a wrench in his plans.

Gold needed to put an end to this. He needed to be able to rely on Emma to be his secret weapon now that Cora had returned. He needed to be rid of Hook, whose presence only brought back visions of Milah, her crushed heart floating out of his hand into the sea air. Though he had committed many murderous acts, Milah's had been the death that truly turned him into a beast.

He emerged from the shadows, and began walking after the couple, not entirely sure of his plan.

Emma and Killian had been walking in silence, absorbed in their thoughts. Suddenly, Emma thought she heard the steady click of a cane on the sidewalk. She shook her head, and listened harder. Sure enough, she could hear it, slightly louder now. A tick-tock rhythm was slowly approaching them from behind.

She squeezed Killian's arm, hard, just as he cocked his head as if he heard something. He looked down at her, surprised. Her eyes were watery again. She kept walking forward, and leaned in to whisper to him.

"Killian. Stay right here."

Killian processed this order just as the click of a cane became undeniably audible. Emma pulled his arm to get his attention back.

"Killian I'm serious. Don't move. _You have to trust me._"

With that, Emma released his arm, wheeled around, and started approaching Gold, very quickly. Her plan, if you could call it that, was to get close enough to Gold to bait him into grabbing for her heart. It was possibly a suicide mission, but she threw all her faith into her savior status and moved forward. She was done letting other people make decisions that affected her so personally. If Gold wanted to take Killian away from her, it'd be over her dead body. The same went for Killian's death wish - it was no long something she was willing to respect.

"Careful, Ms. Swan-" the Dark One growled. There was something purple and mystical in his hand. He cocked his arm back, as if he were ready to hurl it over Emma, straight into Killian. But she had been moving quickly. She closed the gap between them with three more steps, outstretching her hand in front of her as if it would block or deflect whatever gold was about to throw at them.

"NO!"

As Emma screamed, Gold released the magic in his hand, with a flick. A ball of purple hit her hand, and fizzled into her chest, where it was instantly magnified - sending out a purple shockwave in all directions. Emma felt as if a million fireflies had erupted out of her heart, but it did not slow her down, as she expected it to. Her feet kept moving, and a second later her outstretched hand sunk deep into Mr. Gold's chest.

Emma's fingers closed around a cool, gritty object as if they were attracted to it magnetically. Her face betrayed her surprise but Gold was the one who was truly in shock. Emma could feel his cold, little heart pumping away under her fingertips. She squeezed it slightly, and watched Gold's face become etched with pain. _She was holding Gold's heart in her hand._

Emma drummed her fingers lightly on the organ. Gold's chest heaved, and his arms flailed helplessly by his side. His cane clattered to the ground and his eyes bulged. He couldn't speak. He just continued to watch Emma with terror in his eyes.

"You listen to me." Emma was seized with power. "I'm done listening to stories. I'm done being a pawn in your schemes for power, or someone's ace-in-the-hole. You work for me now. You protect me now, and along with me you protect Henry, Snow, Charming and Hook. This is not a negotiation. I am not asking you for a favor."

Emma loosened her grip on his heart, slightly. Gold gasped for air.

"Take it, dearie. Take the heart. It's the only way to have full control."

"The only person I need full control of is myself. You couldn't turn me into one of your bitch, witch proteges in a thousand years."

Gold tittered, maniacally. She shut him up with a quick squeeze. She pulled him towards her, but only his heart moved, startling her with the lack of resistance offered by her tug. She could just take it. He wouldn't even die. She could control Gold. She could give it to Killian, as a gift. She could hide it from Cora, so that if Rumplestiltskin's dagger ever found his chest, his heart would be absent, and his dark powers intact.

Emma closed her eyes, trying to picture her future. All she could see behind her eyelids was Henry. He was holding his book, the book that started it all, and he smiled at her. She immediately let go of Gold's heart, and recoiled her hand from his rib cage. Before he hit the ground, Emma had already turned to see Killian, lying motionless behind her. Presumably he had been hit with the shockwave that had emanated out of her chest.

"No! Killian!" Emma ran to Killian, ignoring his ashen face and checking for a pulse. She thought she could feel a weak one. She fumbled with her cell phone and called 911. Luckily, the dispatchers were becoming more adept at handling magical medical emergencies. They immediately alerted Snow and David for her, who came running from the apartment within a minute.

Time had stopped for Emma, as she stared at Killian, willing him to move or twitch or show some sign of life. She thought she saw his chest lift slightly, from the corner of her eye. But his head was drooped to the side. Emma stripped off her jacket and balled it up, gingerly lifting his head to slide the makeshift cushion underneath.

"Emma!" She heard Snow's voice, closing in behind her. "Emma, are you alright?"

Emma stood and turned around just in time for her mother to grab her in a protective hug. But Snow stood back quickly, once she was able to register that Emma was in one piece. Ambulance sirens began to bear down of them.

To everyone approaching the scene in the excitement, it appeared that Emma had stumbled upon a duel between Hook and Gold, that had gone awry. Gold was beginning to stir, and groan, which technically made him the winner. However, everyone was astonished that he had even been knocked to the ground at all.

"How did Hook take down Gold?" David asked Emma, breathlessly.

"He didn't. I did. I did this to both of them."

Emma hung her head when she said this. The ambulance pulled around the corner, and bathed everyone in flashing red and blue lights. Emma's eyes began to tear up, but there was no direction she could face for privacy. She instead turned and looked very directly and David and Snow.

"Gold will be fine. You have to save Killian. Make sure he's okay." Emma began to walk towards the apartment.

"Where are you going?" Snow asked in confusion.

"I need to see Henry." Emma called back, tears streaming down her face now.

"He's with Regina, Emma."

Emma shifted her direction and headed towards Regina's house. This was an emergency, and she was going to see her son. She needed to see him in person, as more than a vision meant to save her from doing the wrong thing.

Snow and David watched walk away from the pandemonium, not sure what to think. A moment later, a paramedic approached David, looking for some direction as to how to handle transporting both Hook and Gold to the hospital.

"Leave Gold. Take Hook."

Snow looked into David's eyes, earnestly as he gave the order. She nodded to him, slightly, and then walked over to the ambulance, climbing in behind Hook's stretcher. David then walked over to Gold. He had rolled to his back, and his eyes were open. He was staring into the sky, a bit bewildered, and seemingly in a good deal of pain. A few paramedics had waited behind for a second ambulance to be dispatched for Gold. They stood around, nervously, not sure if they should even touch him.

"I've seen injuries like this before." David knelt down next to Gold, nonchalantly. "This is what happens when someone underestimates the power of true love."

**A/N: Close to the end! Hope you like it. Going to try to add a little more levity in the last chapter, because people seem to respond really well to it.**


	9. Chapter 9

Emma knocked on Regina's door rapidly. The porch light was already on. Someone must have called ahead to alert her. She came to the door fully dressed and ushered Emma in, quickly. Emma's cheeks were raw and red from her tears and she didn't know how much Regina knew about the circumstances of her visit.

"I need to see Henry."

"I woke him up when David called. He's in the kitchen."

Regina was a bit wary of the late interruption, but David's vague description of the night's events had piqued her interest. She examined Emma, carefully. Her hair was tousled, her makeup was smeared and she seemed to have dressed hastily. Regina knew better than to think her unkempt look was the result of a fight with Gold. A fight with Gold would have left her dead.

Emma felt Regina's eyes scanning over her, cruel and calculating. She waved past her, inviting herself into the kitchen to see Henry. For a split second, as she passed close by Regina, her fingers tingled and she had to quiet a new curiosity that made her want to throw her hand into Regina's chest to see what she would find. She sighed, and focused on the small boy she could now see through the doorway. He was perched on a stool in front of the kitchen island with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies set neatly in front of him.

"Emma! What's the matter?" Henry's voice was cautious. He was happy to see his mother, but he was sure the emergency visit meant something unthinkable had happened.

Emma walked up to Henry's stool and blanketed him in a tearful hug. He leaned his head on her shoulder, and patted her arm. Emma breathed in deeply, then released him to arms length.

"Henry. I needed to come and tell you what happened tonight, because I want to be honest with you, and I never want to lie to you."

Henry nodded his approval. Emma bit her cheek, looking for the beginning of the story.

"Magic always comes with a price, right? Well I can do magic now, somehow. I don't practice it and I don't feel like I have magic in me, but sometimes it just comes out."

Regina froze in the doorway, listening breathlessly to Emma's explanation of her powers. The fact that Emma had any powers at all had vexed her.

"Tonight I was... hanging out with Killian, and Mr. Gold wanted to attack him because of something that happened a long time ago. So I tried to stop Mr. Gold from attacking us, and I grabbed his heart."

Henry's eyes went wide. He unconsciously leaned away from Emma.

"You took Mr. Gold's heart?"

Emma shook her head, and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"No. No I did not. I could have, but I knew you wouldn't want me to. And I didn't want to either."

Henry gave her an optimistic smile that she breathed in as if it were pure oxygen.

"Then you don't have to pay the price for doing magic! Everything will be okay."

Emma smiled back at him, but her heart sunk to the floor as she pictured Killian lying on the sidewalk, felled by the one person he trusted without hesitation.

"I'm not sure. When I was trying to stop Mr. Gold from attacking, I kind of shot a big -" Emma gestured around herself in a circle, searching for a way to describe the phenomenon. "A big wave of something came out of me, and it hit Killian. He's in the hospital now."

Henry hopped off the stool, onto the floor.

"What? We have to go see him! You have to help him!"

Regina stepped into the room in response to Henry's exclamation. Emma's eyes welled up with tears.

"Henry, I don't think I can help him. I'm the one that hurt him."

Henry grabbed his coat off the back of a chair and put it on over his pajamas.

"C'mon. Your magic can't hurt the people you love. You probably just have to kiss him or something and he'll wake up. Hurry up!"

Emma looked over at Regina, pleadingly, asking for some assistance in explaining what magic could and could not do.

"Henry, kisses wake people up when the people kissing have true love. True love is a rare thing. Even if you love your _friends -" _Regina squinted accusingly at Emma- "you might not be able to wake them up with a kiss."

Henry rolled his eyes at both his mothers.

"Well Killian loves Emma. And friends don't hang out in the middle of the night. People who are in love do."

Emma blushed as Regina smirked at her.

"I'm going to go wait in the car."

Henry left Emma and Regina standing, looking at each other. Regina picked her keys up off the counter.

"Are we going, then?"

Emma nodded. She started towards the door, but Regina stepped in front of her.

"We'll discuss what this means as far as Henry's care is concerned, later."

"Excuse me?" The anger welled up inside Emma again. Regina saw it, and let her condescending demeanor waver for a second.

"Well, I just hope, for Henry's sake, that Henry is right. And if he is, and you're able to wake your pirate, I imagine you won't be spending so much time in Storybrooke."

Flames raged in Emma's chest. She was unable to turn her thoughts into sentences. She glared at Regina, then stomped to the door. She was desperate for Henry to be right, and if he was, no one was going anywhere.

When they got to the hospital Regina dropped Emma and Henry off at the door. They made their way into the waiting area, where they found David dozing in a chair with his head in his hand. He awoke with Henry's hand on his shoulder, stood up slightly dazed, and led them to Killian's room.

His room was large, accommodating his three new visitors easily. Snow was already there, her head slumped on the arm of a low chair. She sat up as soon as she heard the door. As they entered, she reached out to give Henry a hug, and smiled reassuringly at Emma. They all stood in silence, and Emma began to feel uncomfortable as she looked Killian over in front of her parents and her son.

Killian looked as if he were sleeping peacefully. His breathing was voluntary, keeping the familiar rhythm that Emma always waited to hear before leaving. His cheeks were ruddy, and he didn't seem to be in any pain. Emma had entered the room with dread in her throat, but she couldn't help smiling when she realized that he was there and he was breathing, and he wasn't attached to any tubes or beeping machines.

"Did they say what's wrong with him? Is he asleep?" Emma asked Snow.

"Well, physically he's totally fine. Whatever knocked him out is magic. There's not much Dr. Whale can do - but if he's like this for a while they'll give him an IV so that he doesn't get dehydrated."

Emma's eyes welled up at the mention of magic. She swallowed hard. Snow watched her begin to come unglued, and quickly reacted.

"I could really use a coffee. David, why don't you and Henry come to the cafeteria with me? They have apple pie."

"I like pie." Henry shook himself out of a daze. His face was somber. He had been full of gumption and certainty when he had marched out of the house, but seeing Killian laid up, in person, had darkened his mood considerably.

As soon as they exited, Emma came close to the bed. She found Killian's hand and held it in hers. She noticed that someone had removed his hook and put it on top of a cart full of medical supplies. It was probably a precautionary measure, in case he moved around during his magical coma. She fought the urge to put it back on him for a good two minutes. Without it, she felt as if he were being punished, as he was the first time he'd been admitted to this hospital.

His eyes twitched under his eyelids. Emma leaned closer to his face, holding his hand up between them, and intertwining their fingers.

"Hey." She spoke to him softly, unable to contain her swirling thoughts any longer. "If you can hear me, wake up."

She waited a beat. Silence. It was worth a try. She rubbed her free hand over her face, grinding her palm roughly into one her eye sockets before picking her head up again, and blinking quickly.

"Henry says that I should kiss you and you'll wake up. He makes it sound simple." She reached over and delicately picked a stray eyelash from his cheek. He didn't stir. "I'm going to try - but I can't right now, because I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't work."

Tears began to well up in her eyes. She let them fall, but tried to calm her voice, in case any part of him was listening to her pour out her soul.

"In my world there's no way to know if someone really loves you. There's no test. There's no proof. Everyone just hopes for the best. You made me-" she fumbled for words. "I finally figured out how to do that - how to have hope, and then you pull this shit."

She let out a shorty, sobbing laugh, and slicked a sheet of tears away with her thumb. She placed Killian's hand gently back on the bed, and sat in a low chair next to him, putting her boots on the seat and pulling her knees to her chest.

"But if I kiss you, and nothing happens, then we're both going to be lost."

She rested her head on her knees, shielding her eyes from the room's bright lights. She was asleep within moments.

**A/N: 10 is the end. I think I will cry. I've never started, let alone finished anything like this before. Thank you for coming along.**


	10. Chapter 10

Killian had fought against every fiber in his being to listen to Emma. When Gold appeared, she had made the ludicrous request that he stay put, but then followed it up with a plea to trust her. So he stood by, and looked on as she rushed in to fight his battle. He was promptly floored by her magical emanation.

The blast didn't hurt, physically. Most of his pain came from from the frustration of being completely aware of his surroundings, but unable to see or move or speak. He heard Emma take credit for his sleep state, and tearfully leave him in the care of Snow and David. He heard Snow reassure him in the ambulance that everything would be alright. At that point, she was speaking more for her own benefit. He knew that it would work out quite well.

As soon as he had hit the ground, Killian realized he was free, as if some sense had been suddenly knocked into him. Revenge reaped destruction and eventually death. He had been resigned to this truth for hundreds of years, and considered his willingness to die to be quite noble. But the memory of those years felt like just a couple of hours compared to his time in Storybrooke. The difference being, in Storybrooke he had begun trying to live again. In Storybrooke, his self-destructive tendencies were a slap in the face of woman who needed him to stand and fight with her, not waste his life and her heart trying to find peace for an age old memory.

Emma wanted him alive, and whether she knew it or not, she was making sacrifices to keep him that way. He was amused when he noticed the repetition of a certain theme. She always seemed to be tying him up - to a tree, in the giant's treasure room, in the hospital, in a long list of arrests, and now here, trapped in his own mind. He wondered if he would miss that, once he was finally awakened. It stood to reason they would no longer need to play that game.

He delighted himself, imagining the new games they would play. All that was left for him to do was wait. And waiting was something he'd become rather used to.

Emma slept in the chair next to Killian's bed until morning light peeked through the blinds, and David peeked through the door with a cup of coffee. Emma was bleary-eyed and cramped, and happy to see coffee, but not much else.

"Have you tried kissing him yet?" David asked, earnestly.

Emma glared at him. She was not expecting encouragement from David, of all people. But he was serious, and there was no malice in his tone. She swallowed, then was momentarily distracted by the shuffle of feet in the hallway. Snow and Henry were hiding behind David. Once spotted, they decided to tiptoe into the room. The only greeting Emma could muster was to stand, and then immediately lean on Killian's bed. Henry walked over and gave her a hug and a bright smile.

"Do you feel better?" He asked, kindly.

"I'm not the patient here," Emma responded, a little indignantly.

"Well Killian looks fine. He kind of looks happy. You look sick."

Emma, Snow and David couldn't help but smile at Henry's honesty. Emma was a sight for sore eyes, while Killian continued to look ruddy and peaceful. They watched him breath, each getting lost in their under-rested thoughts. Except Henry. He nudged Emma with his elbow.

"You have to go for it. You can't leave him waiting all day."

Emma gave Henry a close-lipped smile, and a nod. She stood up straight, and turned to face Killian, taking a step closer to the head of the bed. She reached a hand to his shoulder, and stood still, looking at his face. Her cheeks began to burn as she felt Snow and David's eyes on the back of her head.

Everyone held their breath when Emma finally leaned over, and pressed her mouth on Killian's. Suddenly, and silently, the room was filled with a mystical gold glitter. And then, just as suddenly, Emma leaned back to see what she'd done, and everything returned to normal.

"It's about bloody time." Killian's eyes were open, and he smiled from ear to ear, gazing at Emma.

Snow let out a little sob of emotion, hiding her mouth behind her hands. This drew Killian's eyes to his other visitors, momentarily.

"Secret's out then, eh, love?"

Emma nearly leapt forward, capturing Killian in a constrictive hug. He continued to grin, closing his eyes for a moment to breath in the scent of her hair. He noticed that he was without his hook, and proceeded to sit up and wrap both arms around Emma's waist, tightly.

At that, Snow could do nothing but stare, and silently blubber. David rolled his eyes at his emotional wife, and proceeded to usher her and Henry out of the room, shutting the door behind them, this time.

Emma didn't want to let Killian out of her grip, but she eventually had to release him in order to see his face once more.

"I'm sorry, Emma." Killian spoke directly, looking deep into her eyes.

"_You're sorry? _Sorry for what? I did this to you." What little moisture could be found in her body was getting ready to pour from her eyes once more, but Killian shook his head at her.

"You took whatever evil Gold was trying to throw at me and turned it into a catnap. A rather comfortable one, at that." He smirked for a moment, then eyed her seriously once more.

"I'm sorry you didn't know for sure."

Emma looked down for a moment, thinking of her speech from the night before. Of course he had heard. She smiled and climbed into his bed, confidently.

"I wouldn't have believed you if you'd told me. Lucky for me, we passed the crazy true-love magic test."

She was sitting close to him now, sliding her boots under the sheets with little regard for cleanliness.

"Lucky for _us._ Now that you've woken me, I'm feeling fit. Are you ready to take me home?"

"Where is home?" Emma had not ever considered how normal life and dating a pirate would coincide.

"Home is the Jolly Roger." Killian lifted his hand to indicate he was not finished. "_And_ the Jolly Roger's home is any port that Emma Swan deems fit."

"I can come live on your ship?" Emma's face shone with a youthful excitement that she hadn't felt or show to anyone in eleven years..

"Naturally." Killian reached over and brushed some of Emma's golden curls behind her shoulder. "Henry as well, I should think, unless you're worried I'll be a poor influence."

"No. But I might hear differently from Snow and David. _Oh God_, and Regina."

Killian winced as if he had just stubbed his toe.

"Ah yes. It seems I've grown a rather convoluted family, overnight."

"I know you feel. You'll get used to it."

Killian jokingly gave her a less than enthusiastic glare, to distract her from his wandering hand, which was snaking around her narrow hip, into the waistband of her jeans.

Emma yelped and arched her back automatically at his touch, then cupped his face with her hands, brushing her nose playfully across his before dotting his lips with gentle kisses. Killian pulled her over top of him, easily, as their kisses deepened. Suddenly, Emma pulled back, propping herself up over his head with straightened arms.

"So this is it? No more revenge?" They had left one very important matter unspoken up until then.

Killian's gaze shot up at her through his eyebrows, a smouldering reprimand for the interruption.

"Aye, love. No more revenge."

"Just like that?" Emma was breathless.

Killian looked at her quizzically, wondering if she'd forgotten how exactly they came to be making-out in a hospital in the first place.

"Like magic," he quipped.

Emma smiled down at her true love, Killian Jones. A myriad of hardships suddenly seemed worthwhile now that she could credit them with leading her to this moment. Killian Jones propped himself up on his stump to reach the lips of his true love, Emma Swan. He could finally lay to rest the three-hundred year vendetta that had sent him searching for death, only to discover a brand new life. They easily ignored a timid knock at the door as they christened Killian's hospital bed with their true love's maiden voyage.

~ The End ~

**A/N: This has been so much fun! I'd like to say I'll write more CS stories, but I feel like I've said all I wanted to say about these characters, at the moment. I'll have to keep watching OUaT to see if more inspiration hits. Viva Captain Swan :)**

**I really loved reading your comments. Thank you for the support! I can't believe I will be able to mark this COMPLETE! **


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